Former President Donald Trump is once again making headlines—this time not for his policies or court cases, but for questioning the legitimacy and financial impact of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a bureaucratic initiative originally intended to streamline operations and reduce wasteful spending. According to reports from inside his political circle, Trump has recently begun asking aides if DOGE is “all just bullshit,” after new data emerged suggesting the program may end up costing taxpayers more than it saved.
Sources close to the former president say he was visibly frustrated upon learning that the initiative, which was touted by some as a hallmark of cost-cutting reform during the late stages of his presidency, might be backfiring. “Was it all bullshit?” he reportedly asked aides, prompting a round of quiet nods and uncomfortable silence. While the exact figures have not yet been made public, early government estimates indicate that the administrative and compliance costs associated with DOGE could eclipse any actual savings it generated.
DOGE was launched with great fanfare as a cross-agency task force designed to root out inefficiencies, cut redundant programs, and introduce tech-driven solutions to bloated federal operations. It was an idea that played well with Trump’s base and with fiscal conservatives who have long complained about the size and scope of the federal government. However, it appears that the cost of implementing the program, combined with the layers of oversight it introduced, may have ironically added to the very inefficiencies it was meant to eliminate.
Critics of DOGE say this outcome was inevitable. From the beginning, watchdog organizations warned that layering a new department atop existing ones could create overlap and confusion, rather than clarity and cost savings. Additionally, some reports suggest that contractors brought in to consult on DOGE’s operations were paid far above market rates, and that the systems introduced often duplicated functions already handled by other departments.
In classic Trump fashion, the former president is not shying away from placing blame. One aide, speaking anonymously, claimed Trump is now privately accusing certain former advisors of “selling him a fantasy” and “spinning data to make it look like it worked.” These internal grievances reflect a broader challenge within Trump’s post-presidency political orbit: how to handle legacy issues that don’t align with the image of success and disruption he continues to promote.
The timing of Trump’s skepticism is noteworthy. As he positions himself for a potential 2024 run—or at the very least, a dominant role in shaping the Republican agenda—he is carefully curating which elements of his presidency to amplify and which to distance himself from. For a president who built much of his appeal on the image of being a businessman able to run government like a corporation, the idea that one of his administrative reforms may have led to increased spending is particularly damaging.
Republican strategists are reportedly split on how to handle the revelation. Some believe Trump should publicly disavow DOGE and frame it as an example of how entrenched Washington bureaucracy can sabotage even the best-intentioned reforms. Others think he should double down, arguing that the idea was sound but poorly executed after he left office. Either way, it’s clear that the former president is working behind the scenes to reshape the narrative before it fully takes hold in the public consciousness.
Democrats, for their part, have seized on the moment. Several have already issued statements calling DOGE a “symbol of government waste wrapped in a Trumpian bow,” and some are pushing for a formal audit to determine exactly where the money went and how it was spent. This could open the door to more uncomfortable revelations, not only for Trump but for former officials who signed off on contracts and spending decisions during the program’s rollout.
As the political fallout begins to unfold, Trump’s blunt questioning—“Was it all bullshit?”—may resonate far beyond his inner circle. It cuts to the heart of the ongoing debate about how to make government more efficient, and whether slogans and optics can ever truly replace sound policy and rigorous implementation. Whether Trump ultimately spins DOGE as a victim of Washington incompetence or a misguided initiative of his own design, one thing is clear: the conversation around it is far from over.
